Summoner
by Kitten
Summary: A birthday present from a eccentric uncle changes the life of one girl and her best friend as she races against both the Night World and Circle Daybreak to fulfill her destiny as the Summoner of the Darkness. Just what that is, Tai will have to find out
1. Default Chapter

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Summoner

I began as any other. I had a mother and a father. They loved me and gave me a life full of dreams that I could strive to achieve. My dreams were very simple at the beginning: date a hot high school football player, get good grades and someday become a top model for a magazine.

However, destiny had another role for me to play.

"Tai! Wake up, it's time for school!" Mom called from the kitchen. Gingerly, I opened sensitive blue eyes to the new morning and looked at my bedside clock.

_8:30!!_

"Mom!!!" I screamed leaping from my bed and racing to my closet from across the room. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner!"

"I did sweetie." Mom replied as I slung on a pair of low rider jeans and a wrinkled T-shirt I found on the floor. "You told me to give you until 8:30."

"Haven't I told you to ignore me?" I exclaimed foregoing socks and hopped into the kitchen slipping on my favorite Doc Martins.

My mother gave me a bland look as I wolfed down a bowl of cereal and grabbed my backpack on the way out the door.

At the gate to the apartment complex, my best friends Melanie and Thorne met me. 

Melanie Kyle and I had known one another since the first day kindergarten and never separated since. Her hair was bleach blond, her eyes were hazel green that stood out from her bronze color skin. Her personality fit her blond locks. Melanie was bubbly, sweet and … _blond_. Forgetting her homework, her train of thought and skipping subject to subject was a normal thing with Melanie.

Thorne Cyningesleah was the opposite of his stepsister. He was pale. His hair was black and his eyes were dark as midnight. His body was that of a model, all rippling muscles and an aura of mystery to go with the package. Girls at Southeastern Cove Middle School practically flung themselves at Thorne. Even some high school girls did too.

"Over sleep?" Thorne purred as I raced up to him and his sister.

"My mom didn't get me up until just a few minutes ago." I replied and rolled my eyes, "Can you believe it?"

Thorne reached over a pulled a piece of cereal from my short light brown hair and smiled as he said, "Yes, I can."

I felt like sinking into the concrete. Then Melanie laughed, threw her arm around me and began walking toward school with me.

Southeastern Cove Middle School, home of the Cut-Throat Bass football team, Souring Pelicans volleyball team and the Striking Flounder baseball team. None of which are important, despite all the state championships they received. Athletics were a drain on more important groups. Like choir and debate. 

At the white brick school, Thorne met up with his fellow members of Black Rose, a band Thorne was getting together to make some money. For a few moments Mel and I stayed listening to the guys talk about various Goth clubs they could play at before we split.

There was something strange about Thorne's friends. Maybe it was the matching black rose rings they all wore. Or the predatory looks Mel and I got.

"What are ya planning for the big one three b-day?" Mel inquired as we walked down the empty halls, "Is your mom gonna bake you a chocolate cake and take you to the zoo like she did when we were five?"

"God no." I exclaimed with a wince. "Actually, my uncle's going to be in town so it's gonna be good."

Mel stopped and looked at me, "I didn't know you had an uncle, I thought your parents were only children."

"They are." I replied and drug her to the library. "Uncle Bounday is really my god father but I just call him my uncle."

"So what's so cool about your uncle?" Melanie asked as we walked through the library doors a few silent moments later. "Other than his name that is and why did his parents name him that?!"

I chuckled as we sat down at a table near the back. 

How does one begin to explain Bounday? His real name was Jack but his nickname among the ladies was "Bound away" since he bounded away after strange and unusual stuff. Then when he learned of the name, he shortened it and had his name changed to it. Should I reveal also that some of his ex's made remarks about his sanity bounded away, so weird the stuff my uncle collected?

"Uhh, it's a shorten version of a nick name of his." I told her with a nervous laugh. "Anyway, you don't want to miss out when Bounday's around. Last time he showed up, he left my dad a bunch of shrunken heads."

"Ewww!" Melanie squealed loudly and then got a vicious grin, "Sounds like a blast!"

I nodded vigorously and then the bell rang for school to begin. I sighed as Mel and I went our separate ways. Another day of school to complete.

First period was History. Today's lesson: The Salem Witch Trials, a trial for some of the popular girls that hung around Thorne to put up with. Every five minutes, the class could hear at least one of them mutter "Vermin."

Second period was Math with Thorne, a very good thing. First the teacher would make us take two pages of notes that looked like some unintelligible ancient language and then assign homework. Ug! 

I was thankful Thorne was there with me. Somehow God gifted him with great looks and an ability to decipher the forbidding language named algebra homework.

"Why are you adding?" Thorne murmured in my ear. He pointed to the equation I just wrote down. 

2X+3= 7

+3= 7_+3_

2X= 10 ??

"You're supposed to subtract." He told me, leaned over next to me and began correcting my work.

2X+3-3=7 

"What's the simplified version?" he murmured and turned my face were our eyes locked and our lips were inches apart.

"Uhh, 2X= 7-3?" I whispered. He smiled and went back to his own homework.

_Wow, who knew algebra could be so enticing?_

Third period was choir and I let my soul out through the music set before me. Vocal exercises became arias. Warm ups transformed into operas. No one could _not_ hear me sing. Unlike most members of the choir, my voice had changed into an adult first soprano, the highest women's range in choir. So I could hit any high note, anytime. Unfortunately, my low range stunk.

After choir I had lunch, which consisted of a large greasy slice of pepperoni pizza and a side of fries which I covered with salt. To drink, I had two small cartons of chocolate milk that I sat on the thick plastic tray next to my fries. As I sat my tray down at the lunch table, Thorne stood up to greet me.

"So Miss Tai McKenna has come to sit with us mortals." He said pulling my chair out for me. "How do we owe for this honor?"

I rolled my eyes as I sat down next to him and Melanie.

"You're weird, Thorne." Mel said in between bites of a roll. "You know Tai always sits with us. Why are you always making such a big deal?"

_She is such a blond. _

Thorne gave his sister an amused smile and inquired "So what are the plans for your birthday, Tai?" 

"Oh um, I was planning on having you guys over and see what my uncle has for me." 

"Her _uncle's_ name is Bounday, can you believe it?" Melanie put in.

"You won't believe all I've seen in this world." Thorne muttered and I continued.

"You'll love Bounday, he's real cool. But brings the _weirdest_ junk. Wonder what he'll bring for my birthday from his travels?"

I was thinking tribal masks or shrunken heads. I never expected what Bounday really brought me the next day… or the dangerous adventure it would begin.

Here is where you tell me you opinion and suggest whether I should continue Tai's story…


	2. Happy birthday Tai

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Chapter 2: Happy Birthday Tai

Saturdays would forever bring me happy memories of morning cartoons, the scent of pancakes and on that day—my thirteenth birthday—the end of everything normal.

"Happy birthday Tai." My dad greeted as I stumbled into the kitchen at nine that morning where mom was cooking pancakes and my father sipped coffee while reading the morning paper.

"Mmm." I groaned and sat down at the table where mom immediately began stacking my plate full of pancakes. I poured a river of syrup over them and began scarfing down. 

"Bounday called and said he'd be here at noon." Dad told me.

"Good." I replied between bites. "My friends and I can wake up."

"Who all are you inviting over?" my mom inquired from where she cooked at the stove. "I have to know how big of a cake I have to make, ya know."

"Just Thorne and Melanie." I replied with a yawn. From the stove, I sensed my mother frown.

"You should get out more and meet new friends." She told me. "Why don't you try out for cheerleading? I remember at your age when I…"

"Cheerleaders are just a bunch of pom-pom waving girls with air for brains." I cut my mom off. "Their uniform costs more money than the choir gets for budget and all the guys see in them is their chests."

"Tai" my father warned.

I looked up at him, "What? You can't tell me it's not true."

My mother sighed as she finished cooking all the batter and sat down at the table. "If not cheerleading maybe for one of the athletic sports."

"I wrote a debate speech about the evils of athletics in schools. How they milk money that can be better spent on more educational programs."

"Fine Tai, don't do anything I suggest." My mother began to sulk. "Don't try to see what you're missing."

I looked up from my stack of pancakes and gave her a wry grin, "The only thing I'd be missing is my mind."

After breakfast I walked over to Melanie and Thorne's house. Before Melanie's mom married Thorne's dad, Melanie used to live right next door to me. Now Melanie lived in giant white Southern mansion with Thorne that looked like it was ripped right out of Gone with the Wind.

When I rang the doorbell, Mr. Cyningesleah's creepy butler greeted me and escorted me to where Thorne, Melanie and their parents were eating breakfast. 

Seriously the guy was creepy. Wore all black, had a chauffeur's hat on all the time that sent almost his entire face in shadows and the only thing that showed was his bright eerie smile. Majorly creepy, I still shudder at the memory.

"Tai, so glad to see you!" Melanie's mom exclaimed when the weirdo and me walked in. "Have you had breakfast? We're having Eggs Benedict."

Since I didn't know what eggs benedict was I didn't want to chance offending Ms. Kyle. 

"Uh-h no thanks, Ms. Kyle." I replied sitting next to her and Melanie at the table. "Mom whipped up a killer amount of pancakes and I couldn't refuse."

Across from me, Thorne smiled and murmured, "Happy birthday, Tai."

"Hey I forgot!" Melanie exclaimed and gripped me in a giant bear hug that threatened to choke the life out of me. "Happy birthday!!!"

"Thanks Mel," I gagged. "You can let go now."

Chagrined, Melanie released her hold on me, "So when's your uncle Bender comin'?" she asked abruptly.

Across from me, Thorne snickered. I gave him a swift kick to the shin before answering.

"Bounday. Dad said Bounday'd be coming around noon."

Melanie nodded as her stepfather inquired, "What's so special about this-- _uncle_ of yours Tai? Thorne and Melanie seemed excited about his arrival."

"Every time Bounday comes, he brings the neatest things!" I exclaimed ignoring the sinister feelings I got around him. "Last year he brought some Majolica candlesticks for mom."

"Were they antique?" Mr. Cyningesleah inquired with interest.

I thought about it for awhile and nodded, "I think Bounday said they were the Italian fifteenth century kind. He said he got them in Russia, though I don't know how that's possible."

"What else has your uncle brought your family, Tai?" Ms Kyle asked as her husband nodded in deep thought.

"A hand painted triangular guitar called a Balaika. Some freaky bronze sculpture of a dude with four arms, spiked hair so sharp you can kill with it squatting on a pedestal wearing a loincloth. My personal favorite is the wooden scale rendering of St. Basil's Cathedral." I answered.

Thorne leaned close to me, "Maybe some day I can take you to the real St. Basil's Cathedral."

I blushed and let Melanie and Thorne finished up eating before we left.

The creepy butler drove the three of us to the mall and delivered a large envelope full of cash to Thorne before he left. Thorne slid it in one of the deeper pockets in his black cargo pants.

My present from my rich best friends: a shopping spree. Melanie dragged me store to store making me try on cool outfits alongside her. Then we made Thorne sit through our fashion show. From the smirk on his face every time we came out, he wasn't too upset. 

In fact I could have sworn he loved every moment I popped out of the dressing room in a hot outfit. Most of those hot outfits ended up becoming a bundle or bag in Thorne's arms and still he seemed to love it.

The three of us went into an occult shop and checked out all the stuff the place had displayed. Melanie ogled the clothes hanging around and gems while Thorne chatted with a friend of his he spotted inside the shop and I looked at the jewelry in their cases. 

Lapis in setting of silver, onyx bracelets alongside quartz geodes. All sat in black velvet and glass cases. Chess sets of a variety of themes sat next to the jewelry. One was a gold and silver fantasyland where knights rode dragons and wizards were the bishops. Another was of eerie black pewter skeletons where the glossy metallic spheres at the bottom determined the color.

"May I help you?" a voice demanded of me so suddenly I started. I looked up and saw a woman standing behind the glass cases in front of me. 

"No, it's okay." I told her backing away. "I'm just looking."

The woman smiled slightly at me and said loud enough so only I could hear, "Happy birthday."

I turned around and ran to Melanie and Thorne.

"Can we go, this place is freaky."

Melanie gave me a puzzled frown as her stepbrother exchanged looks with his friends, then turned back to me.

"Sure Tai, today is your birthday after all…" Thorne replied. He turned and said goodbye to his friends then we were off.

Nothing else happened that I care to describe in great detailed. We shopped some more, we looked and then we went home where my mother had just finished putting the final touches on my cake.

Years from now I can remember the scene that greeted my friends and I as we entered the apartment. The sweet smell of baking. The sun filtering in through the window, small dust motes dancing in the air. The scent of my mother's perfume wafting all through the room. The sight of my father reading the newspaper in his favorite chair by the window.

"Hey, we're home!" I called out. Thorne and Melanie dropped my purchases off in my room. Mom and Dad would have had a fit if they knew I blew over five hundred dollars at my friends' insistence.

"Welcome back birthday girl!" Dad greeted putting his paper aside and getting up to give me a hug.

Mom and my friends came in at that time so they exchanged pleasantries with my mom as well. It was a sight I was never going to forget.

"So, do you want to wait for Bounday to eat cake and ice cream and open presents?" Mom inquired. I exchanged looks with Melanie and Thorne and we exclaimed in union.

"Nah!"

The three of us laughed as we ran off toward the dinning room where my mother had set the cake, ice cream and bowls for all of us to eat. My cake was simple, chocolate with chocolate icing. On the top in candy lettering was HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAI. The candy was white chocolate.

Yes, I was quite the chocoholic. Still am, but I digress. Back to my birthday.

Bounday arrived just as I finished off my cake and ice cream. He was greeted enthusiastically by my mother and father. When he finally came to me and my friends, he was three parcels short and smiled at the stunned expressions on my friends' faces.

He wore a red stalking cap over his orangish hair that went with his pale skin. Over his sea green eyes were wisps of bangs and two red stripes. He also appeared to be wearing eyeliner. Around his neck was a black studded dog collar. He wore a red and black knee length vest with a black short sleeve shirt underneath. On his thin legs was form fitting vinyl pants and to top the outfit off, comado boots and his never leave home without it, violet granny purse.

"Melanie, Thorne meet Uncle Bounday." I said breaking the silence. Both jumped and stepped forward to shake my 'uncle's' out stretched hand.

"Hullo, pleasure to meet'cha both." Bounday said as he shook one of their hands with both of his. "Tai has told me absolutely nuthin' of you two."

"Bounday!" I cried as he enjoyed a good laugh at my friends' expense. "Stop acting like yourself!" 

He really wasn't doing anything _really _bad but it was an old joke between the two of us. There were lots of those around.

"Okay Tai, who shall I act like?" he inquired of me. "Since 'tis yer birthday an' all that, you get to decide."

I seemed to ponder this to my friends' puzzlement and then I exclaimed as I always had, "Act like the best uncle in the world and spoil me with presents."

Bounday and I busted up laughing. 

"Ach, princess you know I always do." He told me. Bounday motioned to my father who came up behind me and slipped a glossy black box into my lap.

"Now before you open my present, let me tell you the story of this item first." Bounday warned me. I sat back and listened to him. "Long ago, dragons ruled this planet and they were a ruthless breed, controlling human and those who were not human alike. These beasts rule with a fiery fist until Hecate _the witch Queen_ and her followers came up and bespelled them into slumber."

Behind me, Thorne seemed uneasy.

"How the witches and warlocks did this has been shrouded in mystery until now. Open the box now Tai." My godfather instructed. I turned the box around where the hinges faced away and popped open the box. Inside was a beautiful short sword, in a way like the ones samurai carried only different in subtle ways. Like there was no carving on the ivory pommel. Just the strange looking metal blade and the ivory and silk covered handle.

"What you hold now, Tai is the Sword of The Darkness, an enchanted tooth of a dragon."

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**Sorry for just posting one chapter and then starting yet another set fics. I had such a case of writer's block on this story you wouldn't believe…**


	3. Party Pooper

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Chapter Three: Party Pooper

I didn't believe for one instant that this beautiful sword was actually some big scaly dragon's molar.

I twirled it experimentally testing the weight of the blade. It made a faint whooshing noise as sword met air and cut it smoothly. I looked down my present and saw it was straighter than Brad Pitt.

"Bounday you shouldn't be giving our daughter a _sword_ for Christ's sake!" my dad exclaimed as Melanie oooed and ahh-ed over the fine details on the hilt. Against my hand was smooth black silk but below it were beautiful flowing runes of bondage.

"I like it." I told them placing it back in the lacquered box. "Somehow, it fits me."

Bounday beamed at me while my mother scowled. In a huff she passed me her gift. I opened it slowly and inside a cardboard box were pom poms. **Gag!**

"I was _hoping _you would attend a mother-daughter cheerleader camp this summer." She told me. "I still have my pom poms and it will be _so_ much fun."

I could already see my mother had decided my fate for this summer. Instead of hanging with my friends all day long playing video and computer games, I'd be stuck in Rah rah land with a bunch of preps.

Bounday, sensing me fuming clapped me on the back and gave me a shake. "Come on Tai tai, think of the new experiences you'll have."

I gave him a dirty look that spoke of all the _lovely_ experiences I'd give those preps this summer.

Rah rah…

Then it was my father's turn to deliver the goods. At the time he handed me the small wrapped box, Thorne excused himself to make a phone call. A call that would end up changing the course of my day and my life.

Inside the box, was a silver ring with a solitaire ruby in the middle. I gasped as I took it out of the box and slipped it on my right middle finger. It glowed and twinkled in the light as I raced over and hugged my father. I loved my present.

It was then that Thorne came back into the room, seemingly proud of something. Something that would soon become too apparent. But I didn't know it then. Then I was still gushing over my ring, showing it off to Melanie and to Thorne.

Present time was over and the real fun began. Thorne and Bounday struck up a conversation while my mother told Melanie all about the plans she had for the summer. The fun that was to be had by doing flips and wearing dorky and skimpy short skirts that only kept getting shorter every decade. Dad drifted from conversation to conversation. Between talks about myths of the Witch Queen and her twin daughters and the intricate secrets of hair styling, I strayed over to the lacquered box and lifted up the Sword of The Darkness.

I gazed at the perfection of the blade. Felt the binding runes with my fingertips. Ran them along the edge of the blade leaving drops of blood behind. The sword enchanted me, it drew me into its legend. I began to wonder about the dragon. Was his skin scaly, as a crocodile's skin or smooth like leather? Was his eyes blood red or a golden bronze? Did he have horns like a bull or was his head smooth like a tyrannosaurus? Did he have wings like a gargoyle? Was he _even_ a he?

I closed my eyes and tried to picture a creature that could have had a tooth that could have been molded into a sword. He had to be big. Big with many sharp teeth like the one I held. If he enslaved humans, he had to have been very smart. Smart enough to use his size and strength to his advantage.

I pictured a huge ugly dinosaur like creature with huge bat wings and a forked tongue. His massive claws were blood soaked, his skin like harsh sandpaper and black as sin. His eyes blazed as much fire as he breathed. His roar…

A roar filled the apartment shortly before the door burst in and a big hairy monster charged in followed by two others. My mother's screams filled the air. My father, who moved forward to defend her, was send flying across the room by a hard slap by the first beast while the other two went after Melanie and myself. My friend and mother screamed and went for the door and found it blocked by Thorne. He wouldn't let them pass and the beast cornered them.

I threw the beautiful lacquered box at the fiend as I leapt to my feet. He broke it into a million pieces as I ran for Bounday, the only calm good guy in the place, still clutching the sword in my hand.

"Holy Hathor!" he cried as I reached him. "Those wanna-be Bigfoots are werewolves!"

He turned to me excitedly, "Tai tai, real werewolves! Look!"

I took a swipe at the one pursuing me and drew blood. The creature howled and gripped its injured hand then growled at me.

"Come on and get some Fluffy." I growled back waving the sword in front of me like I saw some other sword carrying people do. "I aced courses in butt-kicking with an A plus."

Bounday looked at me incredulously and tried to get me to put the Sword of The Darkness down. I refused, thank you very much.

"That is enough." A familiar voice commanded from the doorway. Everyone spun around to see Mr. Cyningesleah and his creepy butler step in. Melanie went racing into his arms crying while my family gathered behind Bounday and me.

"Okay, give me a really good reason why we shouldn't call the cops and animal control." I demanded. Guess it was the safety of the spiffy sword and lotsa adrenaline that made me sound tough when I really was a very scared and confused little girl.

I caught Thorne smirking behind his dad as the man calmly set his stepdaughter behind him. Then he turned and addressed me.

"The Night World owns the police. If you call, I can't assure your safety."

"The Night World exists?!" Bounday cried as if he just discovered the secret blend of herbs and spices in Colonel Sander's fried chicken. "And the lamia and shifters and…"

Thorne's father sighed, "Yes. All of it exists. I'm surprised a witch as yourself hasn't ever been told."

Bounday seemed even more excited with that last bit. He turned to me and said giddily, "I'm a lost witch! No wonder I keep finding neat stuff."

"Great news there." I replied emotionless as Mr. Cyningesleah slowly went over and sat down in a chair across from everyone. His werewolves flanked him, Thorne and Melanie.

"What's this Night World?" Mel asked her stepfather. "Is it like some funky secret club?"

"It's a whole new branch of society!" Bounday exclaimed. "Full of different races that aren't even human. Vampires, shape changers, witches, _dragons_. You name it and it's in the Night World. It's as old as the human race, maybe even longer!"

"That's nice, but what does that have to do with _us_. Us _normal_, not _insane_ people." My mother asked. I didn't like the smile on Mr. Cyningesleah's face.

"I could show you that the Night World exists." He told her. "I could make you fear the dark and all that it brings. But, then you and me and everyone in this room would have to die and who wants that."

He chuckled at the fear on my parents' faces and continued, "No one. So now all you have to do is simply give me the Sword of The Darkness and I'll pretend that you don't have knowledge that will certainly lead to your doom."

Bounday lost his flightiness then. "The Sword is Tai's! I just know it! I-I saw her when I first laid eyes on it. It was meant to be."

The man yawned, "Perhaps your little _vision_ meant for you to give it to Tai so she might give it to me." He turned to me and extended his hand, "Give me the sword, Tai. It belongs to me."

_No_, a little voice told me. _Bounday's vision is true. His visions have always been true._ The voice gained volume as it spoke more.

_He said that mom and dad would get married. He said that they would have a little girl. He's made hundreds and thousands of dollars on the things he found due to his visions! The Sword of The Darkness is yours Tai. It's meant to be!_

I pulled the sword closer to my body, "It's mine."

Before I could blink, Cyningesleah was on his feet, had me dangling an inch in the air by my throat hissing and baring his too sharp, too real fangs at me.

Melanie ran and tried prying her stepfather's hands off me but effortlessly he shoved her aside. When my parents raced and tried the same, I saw the first of a very long line of deaths that were to come. The werewolves moved in a blur. One moment they were across the room, the next they were tearing into my parents, spraying blood everywhere.

They say that it is a parent's destiny to die before their child. They say that it might be painful but then there is peace. When my parents died in front of me, at the hands of those animals I could see my mother and father's eyes. There was no peace, only pain and then emptiness.

I would have cried as Melanie did. Screamed out and tore at my hair in horror. I might have had an icy, numb wave hit me as Bounday appear to have had. But I was dangling by my throat courtesy of the man who had my parents killed. I had other things to deal with.

"I can feed you to my wolves child, even if you are a friend of my son and stepdaughter. Do you want that as your fate as well?" Cyningesleah demanded. Thorne came up beside me and spoke to me quietly.

"Tai give him the sword. You're human, we're lamia. We are the tops of the food chain; we rule this world. Tools like the sword are not meant to be in the hands of a kind, sweet girl like you. Only someone like my father can summon The Darkness."

The lack of air must have gotten to me. Why else would I have laughed at him? Laughed good and hard at Thorne's words. At the sheer madness of the whole conversation, of the events of the past few minutes. Night World? Witches, vampires, my parents dying at the hands of werewolves?

This had to be a dream. Melanie wasn't whimpering in the corner being comforted by Bounday. The werewolves weren't eating my parents' corpses. Thorne and his father weren't vampires bent on stealing an eerie sword. I was asleep. Mom and dad were alive. Bounday and Melanie weren't here, Thorne and his father weren't here. They were at their normal home leading normal lives.

Well…maybe not Bounday….

About when I was daydreaming about how Bounday lived his life away from me, got a reality check in the way of a slap to the face.

"OW!" I cried as I dropped to the floor in a heap. Somehow I didn't land or drop the sword I had in my hand. Go me.

"Be thankful I didn't use my full strength." Mr. Cyningesleah snapped towering over me. "So will you give me the sword or will you be joining your family?"

I glanced over at Melanie when she whimpered at her stepfather's words and returned my gaze to him.

"Why do I have to _give_ you the sword? Why not take it?"

"Because if I did I couldn't summon The Darkness. The sword first must be given to another before The Darkness can be summoned. Your uncle gave it to you and you _will _give it to me."

"Don't make my father hurt you, Tai." Thorne pled. "I like you. For a human you're really cool."

Girls used to dream that Thorne Cyningesleah would say words like that to them. Not the last part, but the part about liking them. I used to dream Thorne would say those words to me. Hear the depth of his emotions in his voice like now. But I kept remembering the sight of my parents' death and the scent of blood was all around me.

I wished then I knew how to summon this Darkness Thorne and his dad was talking about. I bet it would seriously wipe the floor with these freaks, I remember thinking. Make them hurt like they hurt me. Save me from death like a dark knight in shining armor.

_Do you truly wish this_, an unfamiliar voice inquired innocently. _You may not realize the depth of the consequences of such an act. Think and chose wisely._

I snapped my head up and looked around for the source of the mysterious voice but found no one new.

_I just want to be safe from the bad guys_, I sighed. _I want Melanie and Bounday and me to be safe and happy and alive and not have to worry about people like Mr. Cyningesleah_.

_Speak these words and only these word whenever you or yours are endangered. I summon The Darkness._ The voice replied solemnly.

_That's it?_

"Give me the Sword of The Darkness. _Now_!" Mr. Cyningesleah roared pushed his son aside. If he was to kill me, he didn't want his son to get in the way.

I looked up at him and said in a tiny voice, "I summon The Darkness."

Those four words sealed my fate and those around me.

* * *

I'm baaaack. Sorry it took so long.


	4. Rise of The Darkness

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Chapter 4: Rise of The Darkness

Black mist began seeping out of the sword in my hand. The thickness and speed it erupted from the sword forced Thorne and Mr. Cyningesleah to quickly back into their creepy butler and the blood splattered wolves, who just realized that there were other events to be concerned with. Like a little girl with a magic sword spewing out clouds of black.

It slowly gathered on the ground in front of me, slowly rising up and forming a vague gargoyle like figure. A demonic roar filled the room as everyone's eyes, including my own filled with fear.

"The Darkness has been summoned." Mr. Cyningesleah whispered. "The girl has summoned…"

Then The Darkness itself spoke. It's voice, I had only heard one other time: inside my head. Only this time, all innocence was gone. The Darkness was mad.

"You will depart from this place and never return to vex the summoner again." He snapped, his glowing red eyes full of demonic might. "If you do not…"

He didn't have to continue, everyone got the idea and began backing ever so cautiously out the door. Mr. Cyningesleah had this parting shot.

"You may have won this little struggle, but the Night World is everywhere and you're _all_ alone. Enjoy what little time you have left."

They somehow shut the damaged door behind them and everyone seemed to relax. Everyone except Mel.

"OhmyGod, we are soo toast." She exclaimed jumping away from Bounday and began pacing back and forth in front of the shadowy figure that sprang from the sword in my hands. Red eyes followed her frantic pace.

She turned to me and roughly grasped me by my arms, "Tai, he's gonna kill us. He's gonna get this Night World to kill us."

"No, the vampire is going to have his enforcers _in_ the Night World kill you and the strangely dressed man." The Darkness corrected. "He needs the summoner alive to pass on the blade."

Bounday opened his mouth to say something about the slight insult the shadow gave him but Melanie's scream cut him off.

"I'm gonna die!!!" her wild eyes fixed on me as she shook me, "I'm gonna die!"

Her grip was getting fiercer in her panic. Already I was feeling ten sharp nails digging into my flesh, her rough handling was beginning to give me a headache along with her shrill voice. Somehow sensing my dilemma, The Darkness floated over and slapped her hard enough across the face to send her flying into Bounday, both of them landing in a heap.

"What the heck did you do that for!" I screamed at the creature, everything suddenly flooding to the surface and finding a worth subject of this emotion I felt.

"It is my duty to protect the summoner." He replied matter-of-factly. "She was hurting you. I stopped her."

"That's all and well, my dim buddy." Bounday groaned climbing to his feet then helping up Melanie. "But _dude _leave the innocent bystanders outta it."

"I will attempt to do so." He replied solemnly.

"You had better." I snapped.

"You know for a old as dirt monster, you sure are kinda stupid. Smacking a freaked out teenager. You know you could have pried her hands off me." I added as I plopped down on the couch and shook my fist at him.

I got the impression he was smiling even though his silhouette only revealed eyes.

"What are we to do now, my summoner?" The Darkness inquired.

"He's right Tai tai, it's only a matter of time before foot soldiers come a-callin'" Bounday told me as him and Mel took a seat on either side of me.

The sword fell from my limp hands as I let out a sob and tears began to trail down my face. Hopeless misery welled up inside me. My parents were gone, brutally murdered in front of me. Soldiers were coming after me, arriving at any time to kill the only people I had left in the world. All for a stupid sword.

"I don't know." I whispered. "I'm just a kid."

The Darkness floated in front of me and sunk down lower so he was level with my face. His once demonic eyes filled with—pity? Sympathy?

"_Kid_ or not." He told me stumbling over the unfamiliar word. "You _are_ the Summoner, the wielder of the Sword of The Darkness. Mistress of one of the most dangerous creatures of the Night World to do with whatever you wish."

I began crying in earnest and Mel sent the Darkness a glare.

"You're not helping." She muttered.

"Tai." Bounday said softly as he lifted up my chin so he could look into my eyes, "The sword alone was a great responsibility for a girl to have, but I trusted that you knew what the right thing was."

I saw the hidden meaning inside my godfather's words. The powers of the sword of the Darkness was a great responsibility but he had faith and trusted me to make the right choices. And he would abide by my decision and follow me, wherever and whatever I did.

I took a deep fortifying breath and began the first steps of the adventure.


End file.
